Electical Contractor

One of renewable energy sources’ biggest challenges is the intermittency of power generation. Finding a way to store power for later use helps make renewables more practical for tying into the grid where demand does not always coincide with the wind or the rising sun.

Lighting choices can affect how we perceive spaces, even the colors of objects and surfaces.

The United States is making the greatest push in its history to use renewable energy. However, thus far, one of the biggest obstacles for implementing renewables has been the United States’ exorbitant energy demand, which accounts for 26 percent of the world’s energy consumption.

The commercial construction market, in general, remains anemic, with one exception: data centers. Not only are we all buying more data-transmitting smart-phones, tablets, web-connected televisions—and, yes, even PCs—we also are moving data from our own hard drives to remote “cloud” servers.

On the May 14, 2012, Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray joined officials from the District Departments of Transportation (DDOT) and Environment (DDOE) to replace the last of approximately 1,360 alleyway lights with new energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.

After engineer David Kaneda’s firm moved into its own self-designed zero-energy building, an analysis of the zero-energy claim revealed that their photocopiers, printers, clock radios and coffee pots were threatening efforts to make the building self-sustaining.

Within the larger effort to transform the way the nation receives and uses its power, efficiency holds first-tier status, right next to solar, wind and electric cars. The importance of building energy use within the realm of efficiency also is well-established.

The second step in the energy services project delivery process is normally thought to be an energy audit; it is the cornerstone of energy service. While it is a key component, an energy audit is only one form of assessment.

The last energy services column (January 2012) introduced an 11-step energy services project delivery process. Electrical contractors can follow the process systematically, thereby developing a comprehensive program to help their customers identify and achieve energy and sustainability goals.